Means for controlling the operation of trains.



' J. F. WEBB & J. F. WEBB, JR. MEANS FOR. CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TRAINS.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 12, 1908. r 928,350. 7 Patented July 20, 1909. 5.911121: TTTTTTTT 1.

WITNESSES: a F" gNTORS 3f aiding 40151; em I WENT f TORNEYJ U is I I y N u/ w I 9 MM" 5 I I 1 5 J. r. WEBB- 8: J. I. WEBB, R. MEANS CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TRAINS. I APP LIOATION FILED MAY 1Z, 1008. 1928,350', Patented July 20. 1909;

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J. P. WEBB & 1L1. WEBB, J'R'. MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF TRAINSv I APPLICATION FILED MAY 12, 1908. 928,350. Patentgd July 20, 1909.

" 5 SHEETS-SHEET a I 1 J. F. WEBB m. PQWEBB, JR. MBANS FOR CONTROLLING, THE OPERATION OF TRAINS. APPLICATION rILsD'MAY12,.190a.

Patented, July 20, 1909.

5 SHEETS-SHEET L I J. F.- WEBB & 1;. P. WEBB, In. MEANS FOR CONTROLLING UPERATION OF TRAINS.

' APPLICATION FIL'ED MAY 12, 1908.

928,350. Batented July 20, 1909.

" unITE ER QFFICEF WEBBAND' JEAN r. WEBB, n, or nnnvnafeoto'nano, assienons-ro'rnnntnoraro 'gSIfiNAGR-APlI AND SEMAPHORE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, on NEW vonri, ,n, Y.

i Iimans ron oon'rnonnme rrr'n ornnnrroiv or mains.

lo useful improvements in train stoppingmechanism and in'its. generic naturethe invention comprises an improved mechanism for operatingjan. air valve of the brake mechanism to set the b'rakeson a train, should the same runpast astation or block or danger signal,

tostop the train, independently of the engi-f neerand at the, same time notify the'engi neerbeforesetting the brakes.

. In carryingoutour invention'we provide anlair valve, connected to the train pipe of v the brake mechanism, with a positivelyopen atedmeans controlled from a source away from the-train, such as the signal operator or tower operator,to openv the valve and set the brakes to "stop the train. Means are.

.' i also provided for operating an alarm in the 'engineers cab, at a predetermined time, in' advance of the setting of the brakes, so, as to give the, engineer. an opportunity to stop his trainif he has'lrun vertently. v i In itsmore subordinate nature, our inven-' tion resides in those details" of construction,

' combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first fully described and a thenfbe'specificallypointed out inthe appended claims, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which, 5

Figure 1, is a perspective view of the valve controlling mechanism. Fig. 2, is a top plan view thereof, the casing cover being removed. 3&3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4, is a cross section on the line 44t of Fig. 3.- Fig. 5, is a perspeetive View ,of the circuit closing relay. Fig; 6, is a face view thereof. Fig. 'Z,.is .a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 6. Flg. 8, is a detail perspective view of the cal carried shoe or contact maker. Fig. 9,.is. a similar-view of the track contact member. -Fig. '10, is a detail side elevation thereof. Fig. 11, is a diagrammatic view of the track and car circuits. Fig. 12, is a view similar Specification of Le ses Patent.- Application filed ma 12,1903. Serial No. 43 ,330.

by the signal inadalternately arranged;

Fig. 3, is a section on the line I Patnt edjfuiy (2c, 1905.

to Fig. 3, showing the simplest form of our valve. operating mechanism; -'Fig: 13, is a perspective View ofthe bell relay. Fig. 14, is a side elevation thereof; Fig. '15; is 'atop plan. view thereof; f

Referringnow to the accompanying drawinns, in which like "letters and numerals of reference indicate like arts in an ofthe figures, 1 represents thehousing to which the valve of'the air line is" secured,'the valve 10 being the ordinary Westinghouse air valve, or'any other valve'of an; approved pendent of theengineers'control. The valve 10 corresponds to the conductors valve of the air brake system. The valve'10'has' its stem 'projected into 'thecasin'g 1 and pro-' vided with a gear or gearasegm'ent 2 and a lever Shaving a handle 4 to project through the slot'l. in the housing 1 whereby the valve may be moved, when it is open, to its closed position,in a manner to be'hereinafter more fully explained;

.' 5 designates a shaft mounted in bear'ings in the housing walls and carrying a master worm gear 6 thatiskeyed at 7 to turn with the shaft 5 and is: driven by theworm 8 on the shaft 9 of the rotatable motor 11. The.

shaft 5 also has keyed thereto a pinion 12 [that meshes witha master ear 13.- on an-' other shaft 1 1, the gear 13 eing keyed to the. shaft 14 and having a sleeve 15 and a pinion 16 which mesheswith'a second 1naster gear 17 that turns loosely on the shaft 5 and carries a mutilated gear 18 that cooperates with the gear 2 on the valve shaft 10,

the mutilated. gear 18 has the gear segments IS -18 and the mutilated portions 18"18 .ate with an armature2at having a vertically disposedportion '24? and a' horizontal portion 24 at right angles thereto, the armature being pivoted at 25 a bracket 26to swing to its normal circuit opening position by gravity. In front of the armature 24 is a contact block 27 that is c'arriedbythe type, anclthis valve is'inserted in the air line below thelengmeers valve so 'as to be'1nde-..

its

' Fig. 11, of the drawings.

armature and .when the armature is moved by the magnets 23, the block 27 will close the gap between the resilient contacts 28 and 29,- respectively. The contacts 28 and 29 are secured at 30 and 31 respectively, to the base 22 and are connected to the local motor operating circuit 32. The circuit 32 includes the source of electrical energy 33 and the motor 11. The lever 20 is fulcrumed at 34 to the bracket 35 and has a heel ortion 20 to engage the insulated stepped-b ock 36 carried by the armature 24, and lock the armature in its circuit opening and closing positlons.

37 designates the track contact members, of'which there are two to complete the circuit, one at each side of the track. The members 37 are each composed of a series of pipes 37 having downwardly bent ends 37 and mounted on standards 38 that are secured to the ties 39 upon which the track is mounted and electrically connected. The track contacts 37 cooperate with the brushes 40 mounted on the supports 41 and carried by the locomotive to complete the electric circuit. The main car carriedcircuit consists of the wire 42 that is electrically cofi nected with the brush 40, at one side of, the locomotive and connects with the'car carried source of electrical energy 43 which is in electrical connection with the magnets 23 of .the relay, and the magnets 23 are in electrical connection with the magnet 44 of a bell relay 45, that is in turn electricaJrl connected with the other brush 40 atthe or: posite side of the locomotive.

- The bell relay, which is more clearly shown in Fig. 13, of the drawings, comprises the magnets 44, the armature 46, that is pivoted at 47 to a bracket 48 and carries the contact or circuit closing member 49 that closes the bell circuit by closing the gap be tween the resilient contact members 50 and 51 that are in circuit with the bell 52 and the bell battery 53', as clearly indicated in The armature 46 is provided with a stepped insulated block 55 to cooperate with the locking armature 56 ofthe releasing magnet 57 that is operated through the medium of a push button 58 and a local battery 59 that is in electrical connection with the ma net 57 in a manner to be presently more iully explained. The armature 46 may be of the gravity dropped type to open the circuit at the contacts 50 and 51, or a spring 58 may be provided for this purpose, if desired. The circuit between the track contacts, 37-37 may be closed in any approved manner,-'-eitherby a circuit closing switch in the tower operators room or by a knife circuit closing switch, such for instance as is shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings that is ,connectible to the rotatable shaft of a semaphore arm.

iVhen the -circuit between the track contact's'37 is to be closed by the action cil a semaphore'the switch 69 may be securedito the rotatable shaft of the semaphore, (r ot shown) 'sothat as the semaphore arm moves into its danger "position, the switchjlGO will close the circuit between the terminals 61 and 62-that are in electrical connection through wires 63 with the track contacts 37-437, see Fig. 11, or any suitable means may be provided to close the circuit between the track contacts'37 and thus short circuit the brushes 40 of the locomotive and close the circuit containing the battery 43, thus permitting the relay 21' to be operated to close the local valve motor circuit and alsothe bell signal circuit. I

O eration: In the practical operation of stop a train which runs past a semaphore signal. The semaphore shaft will be pro.- vided witha circuit'closing means, such as. has hereinbefore been described, so as to short circuit the track contacts 37-37 to which it is connected, there being a track contact on each side of the track, say, located in front of the semaphore, or at a short distance therefrom. Should the .engineer, run by the danger signal of 'the semaphore, which has closed, or short-circuited the contacts 3737 at each side-of tithe track, the train shoes 40 as they come i'n contact with the track contacts 37 will close- -the electric circuit between such contacts fand the train-carried portion of the circuit, thus permitting an electric current to flow from the battery 43-through the magnets 23 of the relay 21 and the magnets 44 of the bell relay 45 to the shoe 40 at one side of. the train, and from thence to the corresponding track contact 37 across the short circuiting means, (via the circuit closure in the semaphore) to the opposite track contact 37 and from thence through the other shoe or. brush 40 to return to the battery 43. This flowing of the current causes the magn ts '44 to attract the armature 46 and close the bell circuit atthe contacts 50 and 51, thus ringengineers cab. Simultaneously the ma nets 23 of the relay 21 will attract their ar-x mature 24 and close the local valve motor" circuit through the contacts 28 and 29, thus permitting the energy from the battery 33 to set the motor 11' in operation. In the normal position of parts, with the valve 10 closed, the mutilated gear portion first 'alines with the gear 2 and thus it will take several seconds'before the gear part of the mutilated gear 18 engages the gear 2 and starts to open the valve 10; In practice, with the forms of my invention shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the time elapsing between the starting of the motor 11 and the commencement of the opening of the valve 10 is about seven seconds, thus giving the engineer timeto operate his valve should he merely have run by the semaphore by accident, such asmay be 'due to fog, which would render the sema-' phore invisible.

Should i the engineer have been endeavoring to creep by the signal, the motor 11 through the gear connections with the valve 10 will open the valve 10, and thus permit the air brakes to operate and stop the train, irrespective of the engineers control. As, the valve 10 reaches its open position a mutilated portion of the gear 18 will come into alinement with the gear 2, and no longer act upon the same. At this time also the pin 19 will engage the locking lever 20 of the relay 21 and release the armature 24 which Will gravitate to its circuit opening position to break the local motor circuit at the; contacts 28 and 29, and

hence stop the operation of the motor 11. In practice, the valve operating'mechanism is disposed under the seat in the engineers cab, and may be kept in a closed locker, thus necessitating the engineer open ing the locker before the valve can be reclosed. After the valvehas been automat ically opened, as hereinloefore stated, and the train has come to a stop, the engineer may reset the valve toits closed positionby the handle 4 since the mutilated portion of the gear 18 isin alinement with the gear 2 and hence the gear 18 will be leftundisturbed.

In Fig. 12, we have shown the simplest form of our invention in which the motor 11 is directly geared with the valve shaft through a master gear which has peripheral teeth 60---to mesh with a pinion on the shaftof the motor 11 so that the ro tation of the motor 11 will be imparted to 'the gear 60 and pulley on the shaft 1O of the valve 10 to open thesame and as the gear 60 rotates and the valve 10 reaches its open position the pin 6O on the gear will engage the locking lever 20 of the relay 21 and break the motor circuit In this form of our invention the mutilated gear may be omitted, since the valve can be returned to its open position by the handle 43 by means of which the gearGOmay be turned back, this action being possible by virtue of the fact that the pinion 65 and the gear 60 are in'mesh in the ordinary manner, so that the rotation of the gear 60 backwardly will simply rotate the shaft of the motor 11 backwardly a corresponding distance.

Our present invention may be used in connection with any semaphore signaling system-and on any railroad now in existence, as it does not necessitate changing the present construction of'the railroads or signaling-system.

s From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and numerous advantages of our invention will be readily understood by those skilled'in the art tion appertains.

' What we claim is: i a

1. In a train stopping mechanism, the combination with an air brake system includingan engineers valve, of an independto which the inven out air valve connecting with the air brake I train pipe ,and a rotatable shaft electric motor directly geared with the valvesha ft, electromagnetic means for setting said motor into operation to operate said valve, and means for-automatically rendering said electromagnetic means inoperative to stop relay to break the motor circuit as the valve reaches its open position.

3. In a train stopping mechanism, the combination with anair brake system of a train including an engineersvalve, of a,

supplemental air valve connected therewith,

I operating when opened to set the brakes, of means controlled independently of the train for operating said valve to set the air brakes,

said last named means comprising an electric motor connected with said valve to operate the same, a normally open electric circuit for said motor, train carried contacts, a relay in c rcuit with sa d ,traincarried contacts and with said motor, normally open track contact-s adapted to be en aged by said train carried contacts, means 'or short-circuiting said track contacts to close the motor circuit,

said motor circuit including a source of electrical energy, andmeans for automatically openingthe motor circuit afterthe valve has been opened.

4;. In a train stopping mechanism, the combination with an air'brake system of a train, of an air valve connected therewith, operating when opened to set the brakes, of means controlled independently of the train for operating said valve on the train, to setthe air brakes,- said .lastinamed means comprising an electric motor connected with said valve to operate thesame,,trai'n-carried contacts electro-opera'tively connected with said motor, track contacts adapted to be engaged by said train carried contacts, means for short-circuiting said track contacts to close the motor circuit, said motqr circuit including a source of-electric energy and means for automatically breaking themotor circuit when the air valve hasbeenopened.

5. In a train stopping mechamsrn, the combination, with an air brake system ofa train, of an air valve connected therewith,

operating when. opened to set the brakes, of means controlled independently of the train for operating said valve oh the train to set the air brakes, said last named means comprising an electric motor connected with means for automatically'stopping the motor when the air Valve has been opened.

6. In a train stopping mechanism the combination with an air brake system of a train' including an engineers valve, and an independent air valve connected with the air-brake train pipe, a rotatable shaft electrio motor geared with the valve shaft, train carried contacts,.a train carried relay and source of electr1c energy 1n circuit -w ith said tram carried contacts, track contacts adapt- .ed to be engaged by the train carried contacts at times, and means for short-circuit ing the track contacts at times to complete the relay circuit, a motor circuit in which said rotatable motor is connected, at source of electric energy for the motor circuit, said motor circuit connected with saidrelay whereby when the relay circuit is closed the motor circuit will be closed and means .for actuating the armature of the relay'to open the motor circuit when the air valve has been 0 7. In a train stopping mechanism, the combination with an air brake system ofa train, of an air valve connected therewith, operating when opened to set the brakes, of means controlled independently of the train for operating said valve on the'train to set the air brakes, said last named means comprising an electric motor connected withsaid valve to operate the same, train-carried contacts electro-operatively connected with said motor, track contacts adapted to be engaged by said train carried contacts, means for short-circuiting said track contacts to close the motor circuit, said motor 'circuitincluding a source of electric energ a local signal relay connected to the said train carrying contacts whereby when the train carrying contacts engage thetrack contacts the relay will be operated, the local signal and the source of electrical energy therefor in circuit with said relay, means for automatically stopping the-motor when the air valve has been opened, and manually controlled means for breaking the local signal circuit.

8. In a train stopping device, an air valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a rotatable shaft, a mutilated gear mounted on said rotatable shaft and cooperating with the valve-stem gear, an electric motor geared with said rotatable shaft and said mutilated gear to impart motion thereto at times.

9. In a train stopping device, an air valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a rotatable shaft, a mutilated gear mounted on said rotatable shaft end cooperating .with the valve stem gear, an electric .motor geared with said rotatable shaft and said mutilated gear to impart motion thereto at times, and manually operated means for turning said valve stem.

10. In a train stopping device, an air valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a rotatable shaft, a mutilated gear mounted on said rotatable shaft and cooperating with the valve stem gear, an electric motor geared with said rotatable shaft and said mutilated gear to impart motion thereto at times, and electrically controlled means for operating said motor.

11. In a train stopping device, an air valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a rotatable shaft, a mutilated gear mounted on said rotatable shaft and cooperating with the valve stem gear, an electric motor geared with said rotatable shaft and said mutilated gear to impart motion-thereto at times, electrically controlled means for operating said motor, and means for rendering said motor inoperative when the'valve stem has been turned to a predetermined position.

12. In a train stopping mechanism, an air valve connected with the train pipe of the air brake system, said valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a mutilated gear cooperating with said last named gear, a rotatable shaft electric motor, a train of gears connecting said motor shaft with said mutilated gear to operate the same, a local electric circuit for said motor, means for closing the' motor circuit at times, and means controlled by the movement of said train of gears for opening the motor circuit at other times.

13. In a train stopping mechanism, an air valve connected with the train pipe of the air brake system, said valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a mutilated gear cooperating with said last named gear, a rotatable shaft electric motor, a train of gears connecting said motor shaft with said mutilated gear to operate the same, a local electric circuit for said motor, means for closing the motor circuit at times, means controlled by the movement of said train air brake system, said valve having a rotatable valve stem, a gear carried thereby, a mutilated gear cooperating with said last named gear, a rotatable daft electric motor,

a train of gears connecting said motor shaft;

with said mutilated gear to operate the same, a local electric'ci'icfilt for said motor, means for closing the motor circuit at times, means controlled by the movement of said train of gears for opening the motor circuit at other times, said motor circuit closing means comprising an -electro-magnetic relay, and .said means for opening the motor CIIClUt comprising pins carried by the train of gears,

and a releasing lever carried by said relay for breaking the electric circuit-at the relay.

"15. In a valve operating 1 means 'for air brakes, a rotatable'shaft motor geared with the valve shaft, a relay electrically connected with said motor, means for energizing said relay to close the electrical connection with the motor 'an'd'set said motorvin operation,

and means for automatically operating the relay armature to stop the motor when the valve'has been opened. r JEAN F. WEBB.

.JEA-N F. WEBB, JR.

'Witnesses: I

JAMES J. RAGAN,

JOHN F. MORRISON! 

